Install Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is a standalone app that allows you to chat with and send messages to all of your Facebook friends without having to go through the Facebook app. In some countries, you can create a Messenger account without having a Facebook account. It is available for iPhone, Android phones, and Windows phones. You can also access Messenger through the official Messenger website on your computer. Besides chatting with friends, Messenger allows you to make free voice and video calls, send and receive money, and chat with chatbots.
Contents
Steps
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
- Open the App Store on your iOS device. You can install Messenger for free using the App Store.
- You can also open the Messenger App Store page directly by opening the Messages section of the Facebook app and then tapping "Install."
- Tap the "Search" tab at the bottom of the screen. This will open the app search field.
- Search for "Messenger." A list of matching apps will appear.
- Tap "GET" next to the "Messenger" app. Make sure this is the app developed by "Facebook, Inc."
- Tap "INSTALL" to begin installing the app. The app should begin downloading immediately.
- Depending on your settings, you may be prompted for your Apple ID password before you can download the app.
- You may need to be connected to a wireless network in order to download apps from the App Store.
- Launch Facebook Messenger after downloading it. You can find it on one of your Home screens, or you can tap the "OPEN" button next to it in the App Store that appears when the app is downloaded.
- Sign into Facebook Messenger. When you launch Messenger, you'll be prompted to log in. If you already have Facebook installed on your iOS device, you can quickly log in with the same Facebook account.
- If you want to log in with a different Facebook account, tap "Switch Account" and then log in with the account you want to use.
- Sign into Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account (select regions only). You no longer need a Facebook account to use Facebook Messenger, as long as you are in United States, Canada, Peru, or Venezuela. This does not create a Facebook account, and will only allow you to chat with people in your contacts list that use Facebook messenger.
- Tap "Not on Facebook?" on the Messenger log in screen.
- Enter in your phone number.
- Type in the code sent to you via SMS text message.
- Enter the name you want to use on Messenger and upload a picture of yourself.
- Decide if you want to allow notifications. Messenger will prompt you to turn notifications on for the app. You won't be able to receive notifications unless you tap "OK."
- Notifications will inform you when you've received a new message or call, allowing Messenger to work very similarly to your text message app.
- If you do not allow notifications, you will not be notified when someone is trying to start a voice or video call with you unless the Messenger app is open and active. Make sure notifications are enabled if you intend to use voice and video calls with Messenger, or you'll likely miss a lot of calls.
- Enter your phone number. Messenger will ask for your phone number to make it easier for friends to find you. If your number is already associated with your Facebook account, it will be listed here. This is optional.
- Decide if you want to import contacts. Messenger will scan your phone's contacts and find other people that use the Messenger app. If you don't want to allow this, you have to tap "OK" first, then "Don't Allow."
- If you enable this, Messenger will continue to monitor your device's contacts and check newly-added contacts for Messenger accounts. This can make adding new contacts to Messenger easier, since it will happen automatically when you add someone's number to your phone.
- Start using Messenger. After logging in, you'll be shown all of your Facebook messages. You can chat, send voice and video calls, and much more. See Use Facebook Messenger for tips on getting the most out of Messenger.
Android
- Open the Google Play Store. Facebook Messenger is available for free from the Google Play Store.
- You can also open the Messenger store page directly by attempting to chat with someone in the Facebook app.
- Search for "Messenger." A list of results that match Messenger will be displayed.
- Select the "Messenger" from the results. Choose the Messenger app developed by "Facebook," which should be towards the top of the list.
- Tap "Install." Review the required permissions and then tap "Accept" if you still want to install.
- On Android 6.0 and later, you'll be prompted to accept permissions when you launch the app as opposed to when you download it.
- Enter your Google account password (if prompted). Depending on your security settings, you may be asked to enter your password before you can download the app.
- Wait for the app to download. This may take a few minutes. Depending on your Play Store settings, you may need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network in order to download the app.
- Launch the Messenger app. You can find it on one of your Home screens or in your App Drawer. You can also tap the "Open" button on the Messenger store page.
- Login with your Facebook account. If you have the Facebook app installed on your Android device already, you'll be prompted to continue with the same account in Messenger. You can log in with a different account by tapping "Switch Accounts."
- Login without a Facebook account (select regions only). You no longer need to have a Facebook account to use Messenger, as long as you are in the United States, Canada, Peru, or Venezuela. Note that you're limited to chatting with people in your phone's contact list that use Messenger, and won't have access to Facebook friends.
- Tap the "Not on Facebook?" button on the login screen.
- Enter your phone number when prompted.
- Enter the code that is sent to your phone via SMS.
- Enter your name that people will see when chatting with you.
- Add your phone number (optional). You'll be prompted to add your phone number so that friends can find you easier. If you have a number associated with your Facebook account already, it will be displayed here. You can skip this by tapping "Not Now."
- Decide if you want to upload your phone's contacts (optional). Facebook Messenger will request access to your device's contacts so that it can let you know if people you add are using Messenger. You can skip this by tapping "Not Now."
- Uploading your phone's contacts will allow Messenger to keep constant tabs on your contacts list and automatically add contacts that also have a Messenger account. Whenever you add a new number to your phone's contacts, Messenger will check if that number is associated publicly with a Messenger account. If it is, that account will be added to your Messenger friends list.
- Start using Facebook Messenger. Once you are logged in, you will be shown all of your Facebook conversations. You can use the app to chat with any of your Facebook friends. See Use Facebook Messenger for details.
Windows Phone
- Open the Windows Store. Facebook Messenger is available for free from the Windows Store.
- Search for "Facebook Messenger." A list of relevant results will appear.
- Tap "Messenger" in the list of results. Make sure to select the app published by "Facebook Inc."
- Tap "Install" to begin downloading Messenger. The app will begin downloading to your device.
- Log into Facebook Messenger. If you already have the Facebook app installed on your Windows phone, you'll be able to quickly log in with the same account. If you want to use a different account, tap "Switch Accounts" and log in with another account.
- Add your phone number (optional). The Messenger app will prompt you to enter your phone number so that you can be found easily by friends. You can skip this if you'd like.
- Decide if you want to allow Messenger to scan your phone's contacts. Messenger can keep tabs on your device's contacts and let you know if you've added someone that uses Messenger as well. You can skip this if you'd like.
- Messenger will check each new contact that you add automatically and add the person to your Messenger list if they have that number associated with a Messenger account.
- Start using Messenger to chat. Once you're logged in, you can use Messenger to chat with your Facebook friends. Note that the Windows Phone version of the app lags behind the iOS and Android versions, and does not have many of the advanced features found in those apps.
Messenger Desktop Website
- Visit .messenger.com in your web browser. You can use the Messenger website to access your messages from any computer.
- The messenger.com website is the only way to access Messenger from a computer. Do not download any Messenger programs created by other people, as these are unofficial and put your account at risk.
- Log in with your Facebook account. If you're already logged into Facebook in the same browser session, you'll see the "Continue as Your Name" button instead. Click "Switch Account" if you want to log in with a different Facebook account.
- Start using the Messenger website. You can do pretty much everything you can do in the mobile apps on the website as well. Your conversations will be listed on the left side of the screen. Clicking one will fill the center frame with it, and you'll see contact details on the right.
Related Articles
- Post a YouTube Video on Facebook
- Move Beyond Facebook Envy
- Make Smileys on Facebook Chat
- Receive Facebook Messages on Your Cell Phone
